J231 – 8/5/2006

It was a difficult departure because Serge was afraid he couldn’t move his right leg forward.  By constantly limping and compensating for the pain in his tendon, the crural nerve pain has returned.  In the early hours, my barometer is very basic: when Serge spends more than ten minutes on the toilet before leaving, it’s his way of delaying departure.  He told me once: “It’s the last I will be seated for some time.”  The not so humorous side of this is that pain makes our runner susceptible and irritable.  When this happens, everyone keeps quiet, except when I decide to insist: “Then he blows his top.”  Generally, even if his moods vary, Serge isn’t unpleasant and he knows how to laugh about his temper.  Not to mention good or bad days, it’s more good and bad moments, which is our daily lot on the final stretch of this Paris-Tokyo race.  Today’s stage ended in the midst of greenery on a slope which announces a tough start tomorrow morning.

After his shower, an inventory of Serge’s skin tends to confirm that changing shorts 4 times during the day and putting a small terry towel inside the belt of the shorts, has done some good.  It’s incredible to what point Serge runs soaking wet.  At 7H00 AM and after only one hour of running, his shorts drip like they do when they come out of a washing machine without a spin cycle.

As far as injuries are concerned, Serge has started icing again, last night he applied cream (which he had stopped for three days) and this evening his tendon is slightly better.  Now he has to find a normal stride, or at least his own stride, so he can relieve the crural nerve pain.

Serge neglected dinner this evening.  He is eating less and gives me the impression of having lost some weight. My visual weighing machine consists of looking at the folds under his buttocks, which have increased.
Since the 14,000 kilometer mark, Serge wears out his running shoes more quickly, especially on the right foot.  He changes a pair every ten days, maximum.  His stride is flatter, his body has shrunk, his fatigue is phenomenal.